Herman creator dead at 75

A team — and league — of our own

North American interest in soccer is at an all-time high. No wonder, given that Canada, Mexico and the United States have hosted the men’s World Cup for the past seven weeks.

Every four years, the men’s World Cup final is the most-watched sporting event around the globe — the 2022 version drew 1.4 billion viewers, compared to just 125.6 million for the 2026 NFL Super Bowl — and enthusiasm for the sport has been infectious in towns and cities across the continent this summer, even those not hosting matches.

So, it wasn’t really a surprise when Canada’s professional women’s soccer league — the Northern Super League — chose a day in the last week of the World Cup to announce that Winnipeg will be home to the NSL’s seventh club, set to begin play in 2027.

For Winnipeg’s soccer community, the announcement was a most-welcome boost after the demise of the city’s men’s pro squad, Valour FC of the Canadian Premier League, last November, when the Winnipeg Football Club, which operates the CFL Blue Bombers, announced it was shutting down the soccer team after seven seasons.

Today’s horoscope

MOON ALERT: There are no restrictions to shopping or important decisions. The moon is in Libra.

ARIES (March 21-April 19)

Be patient with others because the moon is opposite your sign, which means you will attract strong people to you. Discussions with partners, spouses and close friends will be lively. Express your creative talents because you’re in touch with your muse.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20)

Bombers battle back to beat Redblacks in OT

OTTAWA — For three and a half quarters, it looked like it was going to be a night Dru Brown would want to forget.

And in some ways, he still might want to erase Sunday from his memory because it wasn’t overly pretty.

But in the end, Brown got his revenge and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers recovered from a sloppy start to escape the nation’s capital with a 36-34 overtime victory over the Ottawa Redblacks.

The game literally went down to the wire as it remained tied after two overtime mini-games and had to be decided by alternating two-point conversion attempts from the 3-yard line — a first in CFL history as the new overtime format was introduced this season.

Animal rescue worker reportedly killed in dog attack

Police are investigating after a woman died on the Sandy Bay First Nation, reportedly after being attacked by dogs.

The woman was identified by family as 37-year-old Amanda Nobiss.

“It’s just disbelief,” said Sherri Nobiss, her mother, in a phone call. Her family is devastated by the loss. “You just want to know what has happened.”

She said Amanda was a dedicated animal advocate who was volunteering with K9 Advocacy Manitoba in the community at the time. Amanda, who was from Winnipeg, is pictured with a dog in almost all of her photos on social media.

Herman creator dead at 75

VICTORIA -- Jim Unger, the artist behind the syndicated cartoon strip Herman, has died. He was 75.

Friend and fellow cartoonist Adrian Raeside says Unger had been feeling unwell for some time and died in his sleep at his home in Saanich, B.C.

Raeside says Unger's cartoons, which span decades, are still as fresh and funny as the day he drew them. He says Unger could find humour in just about anything.

Born in London, England, Unger immigrated in 1968 to Canada, where his cartooning career began at the Mississauga Times in Mississauga, Ont.

Fringe reviews #10: Ready Player One

Andrew Silverwood, Bullheaded, Captain Ted, Eleanor's Story, Eleven Please, Finding Rem Lezar, Hayden Maines, Jimmy Hogg, Jon Bennett, Now Don't Get Upset.